It may have started out as a major crush, but it quickly, swiftly, rapidly developed into a fierce, protective love. A love that caused everything else to be wiped out in his life, until all that was left was him and her.

He still remembered the first day he saw her. Her dark crimson hair tumbled over her shoulders in a loose wave, contrasting sharply with her brand-new Hogwarts robe. Her green eyes were unbelievably green, like the leaves of the apple tree in James’ back yard. She and a dark-haired, greasy, bloody murdering traitor sat together across from them, and already he felt a prickle of jealousy. They chatted and smiled together like they were old friends, just as he and Sirius were. He couldn’t help it – he spoke up, harsher than he intended.

She glared at him with stunningly dazzling emerald eyes, those gorgeous pools of green cutting into him, piercing through his soul. She left his compartment without a word, tugging the greasy-haired boy along with her.

He remembered feeling a twinge of longing, even at the age of twelve. He didn’t want this girl to hate him, he wanted her to look at him and love him, like he did.

And now, she sat across from him on the couch, laughing as he conjured coloured puffs of light for Harry to play with. Their son giggled and tried to grab the little clouds, his bright green eyes alight, dark hair messily tousled. Green eyes that were just like Lily’s. Raven hair like James’. Their son.

He couldn’t have been happier.

But the temperature dropped and their door swung open. A tall, once-handsome wizard stepped into their threshold, his wand by his side. Dark eyes, tinged with scarlet, were focused on only one thing – the beloved child that sat between him and his beloved, laughing no more.

“Run Lily, I’ll hold him off!” James ordered, stepping between the impossibly pale figure and his family. His wand wasn’t even in his hand, which the dark wizard laughed once he noticed.

The pale man smiled slightly – a smile that didn’t reach his horrible eyes – and raised his wand, his thin lips opening to frame the deadliest spell of all.

“Avada Kedavra!”

The rush of green light sped towards James, and though he didn’t have the time to duck, he did have the time to think about Lily.

Lily.

The woman he loved all his life, the woman who now loved him, was in danger. And he couldn’t save her. He could only buy her a few seconds. He had failed to keep the woman he loved, his Lily, safe. He mentally berated himself, but stopped when he remembered that Lily wouldn’t like it.

He looked up and dropped his empty hand in defeat, looking into the bright green jet of light that raced towards him.